Join Us

Day: Meets 2nd Monday of each month
Time: 5:30 pm

Location:
Zoom

Chair: Kim Compton, caldwellk@gmail.com

The Outreach Action Team is here to recruit, retain, and reward members, as well as educate all on current environmental issues. We recruit members by tabling at events, organizing a speakers bureau, and we are looking to add information to realtor welcome packets. We also strive to recruit young defenders by awarding high school seniors scholarships for college and holding events like plant swaps and apple sauce making that will appeal to younger audiences.
We retain and reward members by having social and educational get togethers. Our winter gathering includes free food, live music, and a visit to our office. Summer allows us meet up at First Friday concerts at Glacial Park. We also plan to restart our documentary movie series, Green Screen. What else would you like to do? Please feel free to offer suggestions. And to join us at our events. Besides volunteering at recycling drives, compost collections, and restoration work days, we believe it is important for you to use the Environmental Defenders to meet peers with like minded goals and beliefs. We want to be part of your community and invite you to join ours.

Earth Day Celebration – The Defenders co-sponsors this annual Earth Day event at Prairieview Education Center in collaboration with the McHenry County Conservation District. Booths by “green” vendors, including several Defenders’ tables, included as well as nature hikes, live music, puppet shows and food trucks.

Environmental Documentaries – GREEN SCREEN Environmental Documentary Film Series brings local and global issues to the screen at the Luecht Conference Center. This quarterly series is co-sponsored with McHenry County College Sustainability Center. Films are 4th Monday of the month in January, April, July & October. 7PM, doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Environmental Clubs – Our Action Team advocates for environmental clubs (and classes) in our schools throughout McHenry County and advise on starting a club and work with existing clubs on programming.

Speakers’ Bureau – The Defenders offers speakers for groups, such as businesses, schools, scouts, Rotary Clubs, retirement communities on many topics concerning the environment and sustainability. Donation to Defenders of $50 is appreciated.

Latino-Hispanic Outreach – As part of an ongoing project encompassing general Defenders’ work and other committee projects, the team provides educational outreach to underrepresented communities within McHenry County.

Environmental Scholarships – Each year, the Defenders offers scholarships to two outstanding high school seniors planning to pursue college studies related to environmental science, conservation or related field.

Without our dedicated members who volunteer and help fund our organization through their annual membership contributions, we would not be able to operate. While we have been working to preserve, protect and educate since 1970, we still need to reach many more people and spread our roots throughout our beautiful county.

Our programming brings special events and opportunities to all of our members, including young professionals and students, families, seniors as well as business members. The Outreach Action Team also helps plan the annual Environmental Defenders’ Annual Dinner.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

The Margaret Marchi Environmental Library

What, exactly, is conservation design? What is in those sprays for mosquitoes? Which native plants would work in my yard? What are some realistic energy alternatives? What can I do to protect water quality? What are the county’s policies on environmental issues? What is the State of the World?

These types of questions can be answered by using the Defenders’ library, created by founding member, Margaret Marchi, and maintained by our dedicated volunteers. Our library is a great resource, and the best environmental library in Northern Illinois. The library is open to our members as well as the public during normal office hours. This service encourages research and greater understanding of environmental issues.